Mumsnet Talk

Apologies if there has already been a thread on this today (been at work) but I thought it was a very moving article which gives the other side of the story from the froth-whipping up ones seen in the Daily Mail recently.

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/05/benefit-cuts-fuelling-abuse-disabled-people

Yes, and front page too. I was really pleased to see these attitudes highlighted and the personal stories of just how they are affecting individuals.

Yes, it absolutely says it all I think. I do hope people take the time to read it and think about it.

Don't want to say 'I told you so', but I did say this would happen...

doesn't surprise me at all, having seen and been on the anti sn threads on hre and seen the way the government and the press have portrayed the disabled as scroungers.

I probably should have put this in AIBU as thats where they hang out!

indeed, u really do not know what is round the corner, my freind s wife , high flyer, stunning beautiful, lovely person , found she has a hereditary condition and cannot walk any more (wheelchair bound) i , dont get the "they are ripping my tax off "mindset , i try 2 "get " this time i have and enjoy it ; if money is so great , why do so many very rich people commit suicide? why beat up on others ? me?happy clappy hippy trippy enjoying the day > yep , i know.....

You don't even have to be a hippy to have some compassion for others either

No you don't; I am now classed as disabled by a MH condition that arose as a result IMO of the cuts because I was so very petrified of what would happen to my disabled children. Now, it so happens that my condition is responding to medications (only a month at a time, apparently I am high risk, hardly with 2 autistic boys to be there for!) so I don't need any extra financial help or input but it does go to show how quickly these things can happen.

And how damaging it is to rip apart the systems that support those who need it most.

It was always going to happen though; and this thread will almost certainly either disappear into nothing or become filled with bile.

Remember though the words of Pratchett- a former PR man, much like our dear PM- 'poison goes where poison's welcome'- ie there are enough people looking for someone to blame apart from themselves* ready to jump on the first innocent target presented to them.

Also, remember the curse may you live in interesting times- somehow I think we do!

(My philosophy is not limited to Pratchet,, I do have a degree in Religion and Philosophy LOL, just seems to fit).

* Some of these will be equally innocent people afeared of losing their job or house who deserve our empathy; some will be those who spent the past decade racking up debts and loans who probably also deserve empathy but need to take a hard look at themselves before blaming someone else!

The thing about people being worried about using parking spaces made me smile. My DP is disabled. We were parked up in our nice car in a disabled bay when some woman aggressively waved her blue badge at us. I pulled away and let my DP out of the car. She looked mortified when she saw him walk as he is pretty obviously disabled and when she got out she looked ok and I know lots of disabilities aren't obvious but I don't give a fuck if I get flamed

I agree the thread will disappear..it will not take off like those frothing about benefit claimants, sadly.

Redo it and stick it in AIBU.

Title: In Your FACE, Benefit Bashers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can you imagine!

I should redo it with the same thread title, but just change the content of the OP to "FUCK OFF"

<mature>

Helpful bump to get all the frothers frothing.

(James O'Brien covered this today on LBC... made me very sad to hear but not terribly surprised )

I just FB linked the article instead. <battens down FB hatches>

Bump for the evening frothers

I'm still at that verbal attack on a MNer in the supermarket, where a total stranger called her a scrounger because she had an epileptic attack.

The stranger knew nothing of her finances, and could see with her own eyes that the MN was ill. So started calling her a scrounger and yelling about spending her tax money.

This is all because, till recently, cuts to disabled stuff were socially unacceptable. So recent govts have tried to identify sickness with fraud and laziness, to make idealogical restructuring of the welfare state acceptable. Now they're turning round all surprised and saying, "Oh we didn't mean it to have consequences..."

Am hoping we can make a wee start in turning the tide by getting lots of people to read this article

Bumpittitty-bump. Can we play Benefit-Bashing Bingo? How many points for 'left-wing,' 'right-on,' and 'Guardian-reading,' (as an insult of course), 'hard-working tax-payer' and 'all this was caused by Labour in the first place therefore it's all Tony Blair's fault and the Duke of Witney is God Almighty'?

Yes, good plan!

bumping and waiting for the vitriolic hatefilled posters to come on and sneer at all the "intellectual" leftwingers

I may have just started a thread in AIBU

poking the pointy stick?

Perhaps